Bob Barchiesi Talks Fakes and Forced Labor in Vatican City

IACC President Bob Barchiesi, accompanied by IACC Vice President Michael Walsh, joined an assembly of distinguished speakers from academia including fields in theology and science, as well as from the government and judiciary, to discuss modern day slavery at the 2018 Global Sustainability Network (GSN). The event was held at the Vatican on June 22.

Mr. Barchiesi called attention to the nexus between the sale of counterfeit goods and forced child labor. The audience of more than 100 dignitaries learned about counterfeiters’ nefarious actions, which include using children to manufacture fake products in unsafe work environments.

The IACC’s participation in the conference reflects the organization’s position as a key contributing voice in the international community’s conversations on global crime. It was also an opportunity to spread awareness about the harmful effects of counterfeiting and piracy to an audience that does not regularly deal with intellectual property issues.

The conference, which had the purpose of advancing efforts toward reaching the United Nations’ Global Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth for all, addressed the theme of modern day slavery through technology with influential speakers from across the world.